Always
by A. Nonymous III esq
Summary: Okay, this is the third time this has changed. The story is generally about Cloud and his infamous love triangle with the arrival of a new weapon. And a direct sequel might be coming so please leave a review and tell me what you think about that! ;P
1. Default Chapter

"Always"  
  
Note: This is an FF7 fanfic so if you didn't play the game, you might not get the story. Also, even though I tried to format it evenly, it leans a little (Actually a lot) to the girl side, even though I tried to add stuff for the guys (really, I tried.). In other words, most of the lines in the first part are for girls, but guys, I swear it gets better (In the story, anyway.); P.(Oh, yeah, all characters and setting are legally owned by Squaresoft.)  
  
Chapter 1: A New Crisis, a New Beginning  
  
It was a warm, sunny afternoon in the little town of Nibelheim, nestled in the foothills of Mt.Nibel. Cloud Strife was sitting in a hammock between two trees, deep in thought while reading a large book titled, "The Ancients". Tifa, his childhood friend, but to her, he was her first and only love, although kept unknown to Cloud, was gazing intently upon him from her kitchen window, since they were neighbors.  
"He must've truly loved her." she thought, "to be thinking about Aeris all this time." It had been 6 months since the defeat of Sephiroth and seven months after Aeris' death. Since then, Cloud has been seen to be deeper in thought and has talked less, often being very emotional.  
"I've never seen him happier than when he was with her. He even snuck out with her on a date. Maybe Cloud never loved me. At least not the way he loved Aeris." She thought desperately, "What kind of punishment is it to be in love and dare not tell." As Tifa was thinking about Aeris, so was Cloud.  
  
"Aeris, why did you have to die?" he thought as though in a state of depression. "We were to share a great future. Even the stars showed that. What kind of future is this?"  
"Hey Cloud." interrupted Tifa as she walked up to the hammock, after she shut the back door. "When I said you should get out of the Shinra mansion, I also meant that you should take a break from reading. Besides, you and Vincent have probably already read all the books there."  
"Vincent is actually just beginning to read about Lucrecia and the Jenova project." contradicted Cloud. "There are parts of it here and there, so he has to look everywhere."  
"Well you've probably cleaned out the place." she added.  
"Nah, two more volumes." finished Cloud. Tifa walks closer and leans against the tree with her arms loosely folded across her stomach and looks into the branches and leaves that are shading her from the hot summer sun.  
"Tifa, it looks like something's wrong."  
"Me?", says Tifa "No, I'm fine. Really."  
"Well, whatever you say." said Cloud, leaning back down.  
"Cloud? How close were you to Aeris? She was always kind of like a sister to me and she always loved you. I guess what I want to say is that.that-" RING! Cloud's PHS had suddenly went off.  
"Hello?", answered Cloud.  
"Hey.", said Barret. "It's Barret and Reeve here. Yo Cloud, we have news here that strange tremors have been detected around Mideel. We're not entirely sure what it means, only that something's disturbin' the Planet. And that means only one thing."  
"What's that?" Cloud wonders.  
"If something is disturbing the Planet, a new Weapon might reawaken. Even more powerful than Emerald."  
"How's that possible? I thought Emerald was the last one?"  
"Well I believe the Planet keeps makin' em'. Anyway, me, Cid, Reeve, and maybe some others will come and meet. Red 13's a guardian and Yuffie has to stay at the pagoda so I'm not sure about them. And of course Vincent is locked up in that God forsaken mansion. Are you and Tifa free?"  
"Hey Tifa, it's Barret on the PHS. You free tonight? We're meeting about something's that's just come up."  
"I can't. Choco's been feeling a bit sick after eating that bad sylkis green. Stupid Chocobo Sage, selling me rotten greens. Anyway, I have to keep an eye on him"  
"Well Barret, I'm free but Tifa's not so I'll just fill her in on the situation."  
"Okay Cloud. We're meeting at the new bar in Rocket Town. See ya' there.", ends Barret.  
"What were you saying Tifa?" asks Cloud after he hangs up.  
"Oh uh, nothing really.", she says quickly. Cloud goes back to reading as Tifa leaves to go to her chocobo stables.  
"Hey Choco.", she greets to her chocobo. "Feelin' better?"  
"Wark.", goes Choco weakly.  
"Don't worry. I'll take care of ya'.", she says rubbing its gold feathers. She checks over her chocobo's mate and offspring, then over to Knight, Cloud's chocobo. Choco's mate, a black-feathered female called Shadow, nuzzled its head against Choco to make him feel a bit better. Tifa saw this and felt slightly sad.  
"Sigh..", she breathes out gently, "If only love were as simple as these chocobos. I guess maybe I should tell him I love him. He was so cute when we were younger. He would always look up into my window. As long as it wasn't me changing or anything, I always thought it was kind of nice. It was like he cared." Cloud then entered the stables, ready to leave for Rocket Town.  
"Hey Tifa. Hmmm.Choco really doesn't look good. Here, take some tantal greens. It always makes Knight feel better."  
"Err.thanks. Uh, listen Cloud."  
"Yeah Tifa?"  
"Uh, well.", she gets flustered. "Uh, you uh, have your saddle on wrong."  
"Oh, uh, thanks." Cloud readjusts the saddle and then takes off.  
"This" says Tifa, "is gonna be harder than I first thought."  
  
Meanwhile, Cloud is thinking of how strange Tifa was acting during the short ride to Rocket Town.  
"She's been acting strange lately. I wonder if it's just Choco. Probably is, she really loves that chocobo." He arrives at the new bar and finds Barret and Cid chasing Yuffie, while Reeve sits there quietly drinking some beer.  
"Ya' lousy thievin' #)^$$#^%@!! Come back with our materia!" yells Cid. Yuffie jumps neatly over a table and off a wall as Barret smashes through the table, despite an unconscious bartender. Yuffie is then perched on a support beam and jumps to another as Barret guns at her.  
"Yer' ninja moves won't save ya'!" warns Barret.  
"Oh hey, Cloud.", greets Yuffie cheerfully.  
"Er, Yuffie, you mind returning their materia?"  
"Ah, fine whatever.", she says.  
"Well then," says Reeve. "That's why I don't bring my materia when she comes to meetings. Hey! Where's my gil!" Cloud glares at Yuffie.  
"Fine! Fine! Here!", she exclaims as she returns his 100,000 or so gil.  
"Geez, why do you carry all that gil?" asks Cid.  
"Comes in handy. Especially for paying back the bartender for the damages." Reeve replies with an angry insinuation directed at Yuffie and Barret.  
"Okay Cloud, take a seat.", orders Barret. "Now about the problem. The latest tremor was in Mideel on a secluded little island. Might be like that because of the Lifestream. Well we're gonna check it out to get a sure grasp of what's going on. Besides, Mideel just uncovered more of their old hot springs so.Hey! Get away from there!" he yells at Yuffie trying to steal his materia again. "Never gonna sit next to you again.", Barret grumbles. "Anyway, we're leavin' in two days from now to get the rest of the team so be ready."  
"So Cloud," Cid starts, "why couldn't Tifa come?"  
"Her chocobo's sick from a bad sylkis green she got from the Chocobo Sage."  
"Hmmm, that's too bad." Cid replies while taking down a shot of whiskey.  
"She's been acting weird lately. I think it's just her chocobo but she always changes the subject when it seems like she has something important to say.", explains Cloud.  
"You're oblivious aren't you?" Yuffie comments. "You know she likes you and just wants to say something."  
"And how do you know that?", asks Reeve.  
"At the Gold Saucer she told me.", she says. "After Aeris left on their little date, Tifa explained all of it."  
"Hey Reeve," says Cloud. "you know that prediction Cait Sith made? The one with mine and Aeris' star being perfect for one another?"  
"Oh boy.", mumbles Yuffie.  
"Knock it off.", whispers Barret harshly. "Never shoulda' brought you.."  
"Yeah what about it?", answers Reeve.  
"Well, since you control him I thought you might know something about it."  
"It is interesting that I got that fortune out of Cait Sith, but I don't know exactly if it's true."  
"Ya' shouldn't be dwelling on the dead. Ain't healthy. I mean look at Vincent. Lucrecia ain't even dead and he's shut up in that mansion.", Barret interjects. "I mean ya' don't see me mopin' about Eleanor and Dyne."  
"If you say so, Barret.", says Cloud as he begins to leave as it gets dark. "And Yuffie."  
"Fine.", she says as she returns his materia.  
  
During Cloud's departure from Rocket Town, Tifa sits alone at the well in Nibelheim as she looks up at the same starry sky as the night of the promise between her and Cloud. As she dwells on this, a warm breeze caresses her hair back and the quiet chirping of the crickets is all she can hear.  
"I wonder.if I should ever tell him."  
"Tell him what?"  
"Huh?! Cloud?!" She at that moment saw him as the child who would look out for her. She saw him as the one who would promise her anything. She saw him as the cute little spiky haired boy that would be her constant crutch. She saw him as the everything she wanted but could never have. Again they met on the lonely well and nostalgia rose up in her mind and heart.  
"Hey Tifa. Sorry if I scared you. I just got back. Choco okay?"  
"Yeah he's fine. So what was the meeting about?" Cloud went through a thorough explanation of the events that were discussed, except for the Tifa and Aeris parts.  
"So that's what's happening, huh?" she says.  
"Well Tifa, you never answered my question." , says Cloud.  
"What question?", asks Tifa.  
"What were you going to tell me?", he repeats. He then moved in closer and sat next to her. "Who says I was talking about you?", she asks, blushing slightly. She turned away and he marveled at the way the wind moved her hair and at the moonlight that appeared in her warm, brown eyes. "Whom else were you talking about? Choco?" "Well no." "Then what were you going to tell me?" "Um." "Yes?"  
  
Tifa then puts her arms around Cloud and passionately kisses him on the lips then whispers in his ear, "I love you, Cloud Strife." She pauses. "I had always thought you were cute when we were younger. That year when my mom died you would look into my window like you were watching if I was okay."  
"Tifa I had always cared about you. But since you never said anything, I just assumed it was completely platonic." She kisses him again.  
"Does that seem platonic to you?"  
Again under that starry sky and that well did Tifa and Cloud find love. They retreated back into Tifa's room and fell into the bed still madly kissing. Cloud got up and closed the door. 


	2. Chapter 2:Resurrection

Chapter 2: Resurrection  
  
Cloud awoke to the sun shining on him, and with Tifa's arms still around him. He dressed, while looking at the still sleeping Tifa with her long, straight, dark brown hair covering her pillow. He had noticed the sunlight bursting through the open window, and was at awe in the midst of the new morning's beauty. Even though he now had a greater attraction to Tifa more than ever, he had something to do so it wouldn't feel in his heart that he did not betray Aeris' love. As he put on his shirt and equipped his sword, Tifa awoke.  
"Mmmm.hi Cloud.", she said kind of groggily. "Where are you leaving to? We're not leaving for Mideel until tomorrow. Wait, was it the-"  
"No." Cloud interrupts. "THAT was great. I just realized I had something to do." She smiled and fell back asleep. Cloud left for the stables and found that Choco was doing just fine.  
"Hmmm, it seems like it's not just me doing well this morning." He jumped onto Knight, and left for the sector 5 slums of Midgar into the church where he met Aeris and the patch of flowers he landed in. A little boy and girl were sitting there, taking care of the flowers as he entered.  
"Hey there, I'm Cloud. What are you doing?"  
"We're taking care of the flowers until Aeris comes back.", said the little boy.  
"Yeah, they're so pretty we don't mind.", adds the little girl.  
"Hey mister, do ya' know where Aeris is?", asks the little boy. Cloud didn't have the heart to tell them what happened so he lied.  
"Yes I know where she is. In fact, I'm taking one of these flowers to her."  
"Well when you see her, tell her Mike and Jenna said hi, okay?", said the little boy.  
"Sure I will.", says Cloud. He then picks up a flower and then leaves the church. He hurries Knight to the City of the Ancients to where Aeris' resting place lay. He strode over to a place where he could see Aeris, still lying there unchanged as if she were only asleep. Through the clear water, Aeris' whole body was visible, with the wound still a horrible memory slicing through his mind. His heart ached to see her like this.  
"Aeris.", he began, "I'm sorry if you think I'm responsible for your death. I'm here trying to seek your forgiveness. I'm also here because.because I realize I can't be happy if I'm always dwelling on the dead. I can't keep dwelling on you if nothing can change so.I'm here to say goodbye. I just want you to know I will always love you and I will never forget you. Goodbye Aeris." He dropped the flower in the water and watched the ripple fade. With the weight of sadness on his shoulders and tears welling in his eye, he had left the City of the Ancients.  
  
As Cloud left the City, the pool Aeris' body lay in was emitting a strange glow.  
  
The next day Cloud woke up to a loud humming sound. He looked out his window and saw the Highwind landing just outside of Nibelheim. He quickly got dressed and saw the hull of the massive ship as he left the house, as well as the entire group waiting for him.  
"Ha ha!" laughed Barret. "Can't wait for those hot springs!"  
"Barret, you're the one who scheduled this trip. It's about the strange tremors, remember?", said Tifa.  
"Aww.spoil my fun."  
"So Cid, how ya' been doin' lately?", asked Cloud. "I hear you don't use this airship as much as you used to."  
"Yeah well, Shera didn't exactly like the condition of the engine so she makes me use this a lot less. Until of course, I get it fixed.."  
"Hey, she's just lookin' out for you.", commented Cloud.  
"Yeah well it's gettin' on my nerves! It's annoying how she'll always be double checkin' on everything."  
"Well me thinks you just like her.", said Cloud, grinning widely.  
"Knock it off or you're gonna make an emergency landing on the ground!"  
  
While Cid and Cloud talked, Tifa assisted Yuffie to her normal spot on the ship, because of Yuffie's airsickness.  
"Unk.", moaned the great ninja, "How're you and, ugh.Cloud getting along?"  
"I finally told him how I felt. I guess I feel better now but he was out most of the day taking care of something"  
"Hurp!.well it was probably something important. He seems rude sometimes, hold on.BLECH!.but he's not one to ditch somebody."  
"Yeah if you can just mull over a dead person for months like he did, you just might get that impression."  
Cid piloted the ship to the hot springs town of Mideel where a large green pool of water, the Lifestream, sat in the center of the town. They landed close by and entered the village, asking the inhabitants about the recent quakes. The team was scattered about doing their job when a large group of birds flew out of the forest in the horizon.  
"Everybody! Brace yourselves!" yelled Cid. A sudden earthquake began shaking everything around, and the wooden huts and houses around them were wobbling everywhere. One began to collapse with a person, trapped and screaming, still in it on the top floor. Yuffie jumped into a tree, and then into the window of the building and saved them, but another was still trapped.  
"I'll get them!", yelled Cloud as he ran into the collapsing structure. He heard the cries coming from a room with debris blocking the door. He threw it out of the way, then ran into the room where a young girl sat shivering in the corner. Cloud grabbed her hand then they both jumped out of the building as it fell. The tree Yuffie jumped in was then about to crush them as it came crashing down, when he barely jumped away.  
"Cloud!" screamed Tifa. When he had jumped out of the way, the young girl was safe but he himself landed in the Lifestream.  
  
Inside the Lifestream, everything was pitch black, yet he could see himself, as if it were just a black room.  
"Cloud." said a soft voice.  
"Huh?" Cloud had no idea what was going on.  
"Cloud! Remember me!?" said a familiar voice that came from right behind him.  
"It's Aeris! Get it now?!" she said with a distinct smile.  
"A-Aeris? Where am I?" he asked, clueless.  
"The Lifestream of course.", she replied.  
"Then." Cloud realized something. "I'm dead?"  
"No." she said. "It's the LIFEstream. You're still alive.kind of."  
"What do you mean, 'kind of'?" asked Cloud a little worried.  
"Well, it's kinda like you're in a deep subconscious state. But not a coma because you'll definitely have a better chance of waking up."  
"Wait! Does that mean you're.alive?"  
"Close enough to it."  
"How?"  
"You see, I was partially revived after you visited me." She began to walk around a little. "There was some force that brought me back."  
"So.it was my.love that brought you back?"  
"Not even close." she said with a tiny smile. "It was the flower."  
"The flower?" he said with disbelief.  
"Yes. It was from the church. It had a holy power to it. I guess it combined with the restorative power of the water and my wish to come back and see you, I guess maybe that revived me. That and maybe the Planet."  
"What do you mean by being close enough to being alive?"  
" I heard the Planet.", she said gently. "To bring me back completely, whomever I wished to see must mutually want to see me also. Note that nobody unwanted returns anyway. So Cloud.what do you think?"  
"Consider it done." He replied as he put his hand on her shoulder.  
"What about Tifa? Does she want to see me?"  
"Sure. She said you were always like sisters."  
"I'm glad she thinks that. Did she ever tell you she loved you.?"  
"Yeah."  
"Good. I didn't want her life to come off as a sad soap opera. It wasn't healthy to keep holding it in. She should be happy. Especially with you."  
"Ummm.actually for most of the time I've been in the mansion trying to find a way to bring you back.", he says a bit hesitantly. Aeris spun around looking slightly angry with him.  
"Cloud! Had you no idea she was trying to get it out then? I swear, when you focus you don't look at anything else!"  
"Sorry. I guess I missed you too much. Have I ever told you I love you?"  
"Not directly. I wasn't even sure you liked me back." She walks within two feet of him. "I still mean what I said.back on our date.", she trails off. She looks back at him intently. "I still want to meet the real Cloud. Something like 'Cloud the Romantic' not 'Cloud the Fighter'."  
"Well in case you're wondering, I'm not a romantic," He drew nearer. "What you see is what you get."  
"Hmm...", she grins. "I'll take it." They look at each other and slowly grow closer. Slowly they kissed each other, taking in all time, all feelings that they had missed together.  
  
"Cloud?! Wake up!"  
"What?", he muttered. "Who's there?"  
"It's Yuffie! You've been asleep for seven days!"  
"Well, I feel better." He looks around and realizes he's on the Highwind. In the bed next to him was Tifa, who also seemed unconscious. "What happened to Tifa?" asked Cloud.  
"She dove in after you. We thought the same thing had happened to her because a few moments passed, but she managed to save you before she blacked out like you. Of course, that's the second time she saved your butt in there."  
"Yeah, I guess I owe her."  
"Well I gotta go back to my 'reserved seat'. They're starting the Highwind back up again. Urp!" Yuffie runs out of the room.  
  
Cloud moves over to Tifa's bed and sits down next to her. He brushes back her hair and begins stroking the smooth skin on her cheek.  
"Hi Cloud.", she mumbles, with her eyes barely open. "You okay?"  
"I'm good.", he says a little soothingly. Tifa moves a little closer and manages to sit up.  
"They ought to put up barriers around the Lifestream. I keep falling in." Tifa laughs at this a little.  
"Come on," she urges, "we should move to the front of the ship."  
"Okay, but first, I owe you." He kisses her out of both spontaneity and love.  
"Uh, guys?" They look back and see Yuffie standing in the doorway. "If, ulp.ya' don't mind."  
"Ahem! Right! The front of the ship!" they both say while pulling away from the embarrassing moment. They headed towards the front where the rest of the crew was, as they hoped Yuffie wouldn't say anything. 


	3. Chapter 3:Miracle in the Church

Chapter 3: Miracle in the Church  
  
"Well hello there sleepin' beauty.", Cid insinuates to Cloud. "I hope you're refreshed from your weeklong catnap cause' you're gonna need it."  
"Some.unfortunate events have occurred while you were indisposed of.", says Vincent grimly. "More tremors have been felt and in many more locations through each continent."  
"Yes," said Red in agreement. "Cosmo Canyon received quite a bit of damage from them. This only can mean the start of one thing."  
"Weapon.", whispered Cloud.  
"But the strange thing is that due to the epicenter of these earthquakes are changin' we can't locate where Weapon will show up. We can only wait and see where it'll pop out.", says Barret. Cloud walks out of the room with a glare in his eye. Tifa notices this due to the pace in his step and the way he seemed to move.  
"I'll check if he's okay."  
"Uh huh, sure she will.", says Yuffie.  
"Whatcha talkin' about ya' rotten thief?", asks Cid.  
"Urrgh.saw em' kissing.", moaned Yuffie with motion sickness.  
"Well, they both seemed to feel better after our meetin'.", noted Barret. They all realized something and smiled and even a glimpse of a grin came from Vincent.  
"Well, at least they're happy. And Cloud's mood has improved since Aeris' death.", said Red 13.  
  
Cloud was outside on the outer deck with the wind blowing through his hair as he looked down at the ocean they were flying over.  
"Cloud, you look upset."  
"Tifa."  
"What?"  
"I just don't like feeling helpless like this. I can't just stand and wait for another Weapon. I don't want to lose anyone else because of this what-seems-to-be a never ending battle." He slowly sits down then listlessly leans against the edge. Sympathetically, Tifa Strolls over and leans beside him.  
"Don't worry. When that thing surfaces, we'll go and kick it's sorry ass. Promise." ,she says confidently. "Nothing bad will happen."  
"Tifa, when I fell in the Lifestream I."  
"Yes?"  
"I saw Aeris."  
"But how?" she says in a tone of disbelief.  
"I think I revived her somehow."  
"When?"  
"Well, the morning after you told me you loved me." Tifa had a shocked expression and said, "So it WAS the-"  
"No, no like I said THAT was amazing. Where'd you learn that?"  
"Well I- HEY! We're talking about Aeris, remember Cloud?"  
"Right. Anyway I felt before anything else could happen I had to see Aeris one last time. So I took a flower from that church in the Sector 5 slums and put it in the water after I said my goodbyes. Then when I fell in the Lifestream I saw her. When I asked how this happened, she said it was the flower."  
"The flower?"  
"Yeah. She said since it came from the church, it was kind of holy. She said she's coming back."  
"Really?! Great!"  
"But."  
"But what, Cloud?"  
"She said she's coming back as long as we want to see her and."  
"And what?"  
"Well I was wondering about what would happen if I got into a relationship with her. I don't want to hurt you more than I already have."  
"Look Cloud. I love you. She loves you. I think only you can decide who you want to be with."  
"That's another thing that troubles me. I love both of you. It's too hard."  
"Your heart will decide. Of course I'll be happy if you picked me, but Aeris and I are so close that I don't think that I would be too sad if you picked her."  
"Thanks Tifa."  
  
The group has decided to return to their normal spots, preparing until Weapon arrives. So Vincent, Cloud, and Tifa were dropped back off at Nibelheim. Vincent again locked himself in the cavernous basement of the Shinra Mansion and Cloud and Tifa returned to the stables to check up on the chocobos. Back on the Highwind the rest were wondering about Cloud and Tifa.  
"Do ya' think," began Yuffie, "they're gonna-"  
"Get your mind outta the gutter!", yelled Cid.  
"I was just wondering if you think they'll be OK. I wasn't even suggesting that. Now whose mind's in the gutter?"  
"Well you just have a weird way of thinking. AND IF YOU DON'T GET AWAY FROM MY SPEAR YOU'RE GONNA BE MISSIN' THAT @%$%! ARM!!"  
  
"Well Tifa, Choco's looking better", commented Cloud.  
"Yeah, I think those tantal greens worked."  
"I think I'll take Knight out for some exercise. I'll be back by dinner."  
"See ya' later then."  
"Yeah, see ya'." Cloud dashes off into the 3 o'clock sun as he heads east towards Midgar to think. Like Aeris, he always felt an air of serenity in the atmosphere of the forgotten church. He felt he needed to be there to calm his taut nerves before the next fight with Weapon. He saddled up Knight outside the gates and entered with the keycard. Upon entering, he looked around and everything seemed the same as usual. He strode into the church and saw the same two kids with the flowers.  
"Hey guys. Still taking care of the flowers?"  
"Nah don't have to. And you didn't say hello to Aeris for us either."  
"Oh sorry, I forgot to. Wait, how did you know?"  
"She told us.", said Jenna. "She's just back there."  
"What!" 


	4. Chapter 4: Zack and Cloud

Chapter 4: Zack and Cloud  
  
Aeris walked out of the back room hallway, smiling, looking at Mike and Jenna.  
"Hey, who are you guys talking to?"  
"That guy who says he knows you."  
"Well who could that-Cloud!", she runs over to Cloud who is standing in a small clearing in the flowers as she stepped quickly and gingerly to make sure she didn't trample the flowers. She hugged Cloud tightly, and looked back at the kids and shot a diminutive, devious look with her small, beautiful smile. The kids giggled and then ran into the back room.  
"Cloud! How'd you find me?! I thought I had to go to Nibelheim!"  
"I just like to come here when I'm all stressed."  
"Maybe this'll help." She kissed him so deeply that he felt the world spinning around him, that time had completely stopped, and the sunshine pouring in from the hole in the roof became warmer, engulfing his entire body. More giggles were heard from the hallway corridor, and you could see Mike and Jenna's heads poking out. With that same diminutive look, she said, "Come on guys. You're embarrassing me." The kids ran off again, still giggling about what had happened. Aeris looked back at Cloud, and kissed him deeply once more.  
"How's that?"  
"Feelin' better already. Um, should we be standing in the flowers like this?"  
"It's okay. This is the exact place where you fell, you know?"  
"Figured that's why there's a small clearing here. Aeris, the reason I'm here is because there is a new Weapon."  
"A Weapon?" Cloud explained everything to her, the details, what's been happening, etcetera. "Hmmm.", she looked slightly troubled at the news.  
"What are you thinking about now?"  
"Don't worry", she smiled. "Everything'll be okay. I'm sure of it."  
"Well I have to go back. Are you coming?"  
"Sure I will! I'll just ask if Mike and Jenna will take care of the flowers a little longer." After she gains there approval, they hurry out of the church, until they reach the gate.  
"Ooh! I have to see my mom!"  
"Your mom? Sure you want to give her a heart attack? I mean, after you've been dead for seven months?"  
"Come on, I couldn't forget mom!" Then she ran off to her house as he followed her, grabbing on to her hand, until they reached the front door.  
  
"Mom?" Elmira was washing dishes when she said to herself, "Must be hearing things. I guess I miss Aeris too much." She looked up and immediately saw Aeris standing in the doorway. "Aeris!" She ran over to her, dropping the plate she was drying, and gave her a huge hug.  
"Mom, that was your best plate."  
"It doesn't matter. Oh, you're alive! And your home! Are you hungry? Tired? Can I do anything?"  
"Heh," Cloud interrupts while walking onto the tiled kitchen floor. "Only a mother's love."  
"Cloud?! Did you bring Aeris? I'm so thankful. But how did this happen?", she asked as she pulled away from Aeris.  
"It's a long story, really."  
"Well I guess you can tell me later. It only matters that you're home. Cloud, are you staying?"  
"I can't. I promised Tifa I'd get back."  
"Um, mom? Can I go back, too?"  
"Only if you bring a sweater and-"  
"Mom, I'm already wearing a jacket."  
"Just be safe dear." Elmira hugs her again.  
"I will mom. I will." Aeris walks out the door with Cloud, smiling at him as she exited, and while Elmira was looking back at them.  
"Aw, my little girl has a boyfriend!"  
"Mom, I heard that!", Aeris calls back.  
"Your mom really loves you.", notes Cloud. "Yeah. I guess I'm lucky.", she replies as she leans her head on Cloud's shoulder as they both leave the sector 5 slums together.  
  
Knight was waiting for Cloud and looked curiously at the girl he brought with him. He lowers his head to get a better look at Aeris, and pokes his nose around to make a clear inspection. "Awww, is this your chocobo?"  
"Sure is.", he said. "Hop on." Aeris makes a few pitiful attempts, almost resulting in choking Knight.  
"Well, I never said I was a world class chocobo jockey.", she admits in defeat.  
"Let me help you then." Cloud picks her off her feet, into his arms.  
"Cloud! Hey! Don't drop me!", she says a little panicky.  
"Don't worry." He gently puts her down on top of Knight and then  
climbs onto the front.  
  
"Hold on! This here is an S rank chocobo! Giddyap!"  
"Whoaa!", she yells, tightly clinging onto him as they move like lightning streaking across the land, shadows dancing on the ground. They rode through the cool evening air as they rode back to Nibelheim, readying to meet Tifa.  
  
Tifa was in the backyard, practicing martial arts in a small sweatshirt and gym shorts. She was standing in a stance, balanced on one foot, hands together. Her eyes sharply opened, kicked a log into the air, spin jumped, and punched it into splinters. When she hit the ground, she spun around and shot toward a tree, performed a flash kick and a clean cut cleaved the tree in two.  
"Ah, more firewood.", she concluded. She dropped down and started doing one-handed push-ups. Looking at her lean figure, you wouldn't expect the enormous storage of power in her body. She had soft features much like Aeris, but her bold brown eyes added more strength and subtlety. She was much stronger than Aeris though, and she attacked with her hands instead of a weapon like everyone else. "Eyaaah!" She cast a small rock into the air, sending it near the high peak of Mt. Nibel. "Now to test internal power." She put on her gloves and equipped some materia. Her eyes closed again and she began to glow green. She had always practiced all that her master, Zangan, taught her. She was taught about things like how to stretch the limits of your external power, increase your internal power, how to focus, and balance. Her eyes flew open again and lightning shot down from a mass of some newly appearing storm clouds and lightning jolted from the sky, landing only ten feet away from her. The storm clouds vanished as quickly as they came, while she looked a little disappointed at the smouldering patch of grass in front of her. "Not as good as yesterday..oh well. That can be fixed." She began stretching out, as that helped increase the flow of internal energy circulating about the body. Under Zangan, she learned how to manipulate external and internal power, as well as improving her senses. As her eyes were closed, she heard a faint buzzing around her ear. Her hand shot out in a flash, quite literally, and when she reopened her eyes, a fly was capture in her hand, but it was left unharmed, as she had mastered her strength. "One more shot.", she said. She redid the spell Bolt 3, but this time, there was a much larger explosion of power, leaving a smoking crater in the ground. "Perfect."  
  
"Hey Tifa! I think you might want to see this!" Tifa heard Cloud's voice as she had just finished her basic exercises. She walked back inside and checked the oven, as dinner had already been cooking while she was outside. She had taken it out and set two places at the table as usual, unless Vincent joined them, which was relatively a rare occasion.  
"Okay Cloud! But you might've wanted to wait until I was done outside. I didn't even break a sweat yet." She looked at the doorway, expecting to see Cloud enter, but instead was a familiar face from her past.  
"Hey, Tifa. Remember me?" A loud crash was heard as Tifa dropped the plate on the ground, in complete shock at who had just randomly appeared on her doorstep.  
""Geez, with welcomes like this I shouldn't enter a china shop."  
".Aeris? Am I hallucinating?"  
"Not unless I can see it, too.", said Cloud. Tifa however was almost left speechless. "I found her at the church where I was calming my nerves."  
"Um, uh."Tifa was still searching for words. "Um, sit down, I'll clean this up." Cloud and Tifa had quickly cleaned up the broken plate and moved dinner on to the table.  
"Are you sure I shouldn'tve helped Tifa?", asked Aeris politely.  
"No, you didn't have to. I guess I'm still a little shocked. Cloud told me about it, but I didn't know it would be so soon. But if you don't mind me asking, ever since you died, I've wondered if the Planet really existed. So, would you mind telling us? I mean no one has ever had a first hand account of being dead before."  
"If this is what you mean, I did return to the Planet. It was wonderful. It was more fantastic than anyone could possibly dream of." When Tifa heard these words, she began to ponder a little over her dinner, and then finally speaks.  
"If it was that wonderful, then why did you leave?", asked Tifa.  
"I guess it might not've been as wonderful as it sounds, at least to me.", said Aeris. "It was missing something. It had all these sorts of people, yet.", she trails off.  
"And yet what?", asks Cloud.  
"I missed you. All of you. It all felt a little emptier." Time had passed as it grew uncomfortable, without any conversation except the occasional, "Pass the salt." They were all wondering about the Planet, except for Aeris, wondering about the uncomfortable silence. Dinner had finally ended, and Aeris stood up from her seat.  
"I'd better go.", she declares.  
"It's late. You should probably leave in the morning.", suggested Cloud.  
"I don't want to be a burden."  
"No it's okay. I've got a spare room.", said Tifa.  
"Thanks.", said Aeris.  
  
Cloud retreated back to his house, as Aeris made herself comfortable in Tifa's guest room.  
"I'm sorry I couldn't find anything else for you to wear to bed.", apologized Tifa, referring to the nightgown she let Aeris use.  
"Nah, it's okay.", said Aeris. "What happened while I was gone? Like between you and Cloud?"  
"Well."  
"Don't worry, I won't tell.", says Aeris with a smile. "I know. You already told him you loved him, right?"  
"Are you sure being psychic isn't part of being a Cetra?"  
"Don't change the subject."  
"Fine. I finally did tell him.", said Tifa, as she sat down on the bed next to Aeris.  
"Good, it wasn't any use to keep it locked up."  
"But I thought you loved him. Weren't you referring to him at dinner?"  
"I did miss all of you, but I guess I did miss Cloud the most. I really wanted to see him so badly. You know, Zack was there."  
"Zack? Really?"  
"Yeah. Even though the two looked a lot alike and acted so much alike, I still missed Cloud. Seeing Zack there still wasn't enough to keep me from missing Cloud. In fact, that made me miss him even more. Cloud's just.very unique."  
"Yeah I hear that. He's very different compared to everyone else. He's been bottled up ever since you died. It was like he lost a part of himself."  
"Cloud? Cloud the cocky fighter? You're kidding me."  
"No. He really thought you were something special."  
"Heh. The first time we met, he was probably the rudest, most self- absorbed person on the planet, and Zack was the perfect gentleman. I supposed I loved Cloud more because there was always something to him, other than his similarities to Zack. And you know, you said he was all bottled up, but even before he saw me, he seemed fine. He was talking to the two kids who help me with my garden on the church and he wasn't bottled up at all. And I think the reason he was fine was because of you."  
"Me?"  
"Yeah, and I think you did more than tell him your feelings for him to be acting this way."  
"I don't kiss and tell."  
"That means you did.", said Aeris.  
"And how would you know?", asked Tifa.  
"Because only people say that if they did kiss someone." 


	5. Chapter 5: Under the Starry Sky

Chapter 5: Under the Starry Sky  
  
As night went and morning drew, Cloud dressed and went to Tifa's house. By that time, dawn had struck and Tifa had just gotten down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.  
"Hey Tifa. Where's Aeris?", said Cloud as he entered her house.  
"Good morning to you, too." Tifa responded. "And she's still asleep. I guess being dead takes a lot out of you."  
"Well they call it eternal rest so that's probably not it." A soft yawn was heard as Aeris descended the staircase, still in a somewhat revealing nightgown.  
"Um, morning Aeris.", said Cloud, blushing furiously.  
"Oh, right. Sorry. I'll change.", she said as she ran up the stairs. Cloud and Tifa were starting up the stove when Aeris came down and said, "Don't worry about breakfast. I'll do it."  
"Are you sure Aeris?", asked Cloud.  
"Yeah, I used to make great breakfasts back at home!" And in a flash she was working up the entire kitchen, moving here and there, while Cloud and Tifa watched in awe at the table. There were loads of pancakes, eggs, bacon, ham, some steaks for steak and eggs, sausages, toast, and English muffins. Cloud and Tifa stared at the feast that lay before their eyes. Just then, Vincent opened the door after being in the mansion all night. At first he looked and gaped at the food and then froze as soon as he saw Aeris.  
  
"Holy hell! Since when did dead people do your breakfasts?!" Vincent shouted hysterically.  
"Uh, hey Vincent.", said Aeris nervously. Vincent then walked over to her, quickly examined her, and then gave her a light pinch.  
"Ow! What was that for?!", cries Aeris.  
"Um, Vincent, if you sit down we can explain.", said Tifa. So they all sat down and ate while discussing what happened.  
"Hmmph. So what do you think will happen when everyone else sees her?" Vincent asks.  
The ringing of the PHS cut off Cloud's response. "Hello?", said Cloud.  
"Hey Cloud. It's Cid. Apparently Shera is again, right.sigh.about the engine. I'll need as much help as I can get. So move yer' ass and bring Tifa and Vincent to help us out here."  
"Um, Cid, I already have something important going on and it's a bit of a surprise-"  
"Oh, right you're "kinda busy" with Tifa. Yuffie said you were kissing and-"  
"No, not that kind of busy! Wait, Yuffie said something? Anyway, I'm not talking about that!"  
"Don't worry, I won't say anything."  
"No! Hear me out! I'm not talking about that! Look, I can't go there because I'm a little tied up, but Tifa and Vincent can go."  
"Cloud, you shouldn't ditch people like that."  
"Sigh. Let me straighten this out. I have to do breakfast dishes, therefore I'm tied up. Vincent and Tifa can go, because they're not doing anything. Got it?"  
"Right, right, sure. Well you better get here eventually cause' if not, my spear goes straight up your ass!"  
"Okay! Okay! See ya."  
"Well," says Tifa, "you volunteered to do the dishes."  
"But that was the cover for-"  
"No, you clearly volunteered for the dishes.", interjects Aeris with a wide smile, playing along with the joke.  
"You too?" he asks.  
"I agree.", says Vincent.  
"Come on! You can't be serious! I hate dishes!"  
"Nope. Besides, we have to go.", says Tifa as she and Vincent leave the table to go see Cid.  
"Don't worry. I'll help you.", says Aeris. Anyway, I think you might need to drop me off back at my house to check in with my mom. She might worry." She starts giggling. "If all those reactions from you guys are individual from seeing me, imagine what will happen when the rest sees me.  
"It'll be absolute chaos.", says Tifa as she steps out the door. "If you're not at Cid's soon, we'll try and make an excuse. Just don't forget about Aeris."  
"Okay, see ya' Tifa ." Cloud starts clearing up the table miserably as Aeris puts them in a stack next to the sink.  
"So, all you're doing is dropping me off?", she asks.  
"That's all you said for me to do.", replies Cloud.  
"You're still my bodyguard."  
"You already paid me."  
"How about another date?"  
"You always say that."  
"I don't hear you complaining."  
"True.", says Cloud, scraping off food. "I.hate.doing.dishes." When they finally finished, they walked out to the stables and they both get on Knight and left toward Midgar. This time, Cloud let Aeris be in front and direct his chocobo. As he was riding behind her, he couldn't help but admire all of Aeris' soft features, against his hard, muscled one. He looked at her perfect body, although not different from Tifa's, and looked at her smooth, delicate skin, and her long, silky auburn hair that hung in a twisted ponytail. As soon as he took it all in, her head turned around to show how much fun she was having. Her face was the definition of happiness to him. He loved the shape of her face, the way the sun and moon twinkled magnificently in her deep, clear green eyes, and if this wasn't enough, he loved the way her smile lit up her face. Her smile had always made him feel as if his heart were getting lighter and as if he were floating on air. But soon enough, they arrived at the gate to Midgar. They quickly found their way to her house and received an immediate greeting.  
"Aeris! Oh! You're home!", greeted Elmira enthusiastically.  
"Hey mom. I'm gonna go wash up and change, okay?" Tomorrow is when everybody sees me, so I should at least be clean." Aeris climbed up the stairs as Elmira offered Cloud a seat and they sat down to the table to talk.  
"She's really something special.", said Cloud.  
"I could tell that you felt that way just by looking into your eyes.", said Elmira. "And what peculiar eyes you have.", she said, looking at Cloud's glowing blue eyes.  
"All people exposed to Mako showers have glowing eyes.", said Cloud.  
"You act so much like Zack, but she seems to actually like you more than him.", she noted. "He was a real ladies man, but I'm sure Aeris told you this though."  
"Yeah, she has."  
"She was quite taken with him, but so were most of the other girls. It's strange how that she could find someone that was almost identical, but you don't seem to have a way with the ladies like he did. You're just.different."  
"I'm not a romantic. I never really have been. She owes me another date you know. For being her bodyguard."  
"And did you accept it?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well then, I guess that was a bad question if I already knew the answer."  
"I'm ready to go Cloud!", Aeris said as she came back down the stairs.  
"Okay, let's go." Elmira smiled back at them, looking at how happy Aeris was with him.  
They were back on Knight, as Cloud awaited for directions to go on their date.  
"Where do you want to go?", asked Cloud.  
"You decide. Just not back to the Gold Saucer since we were there on our last date."  
"Okay. There's this one place I thought you might want to see.", announced Cloud. They began to ride off in the direction of Cosmo Canyon. Aeris wondered why because they had already been there. Knight suddenly climbed up a steep mesa, and Aeris held before her eyes the Forest of the Ancients.  
"Wh-what is this place?", she stammered.  
"The Forest of the Ancients.", said Cloud. While removing some brush so Aeris could see better. Aeris and Cloud entered looking in at the lush greenery that was yet untouched by the hands of man.  
"I can hear the Planet better in this place.", she finally said. "But right now I'm with you, so I only want to be with you and hear only you. Come on. Let's do something fun."  
"Hmmm, I think I know something we can do.", said Cloud with a smile.  
  
"What?!", yelled Aeris from the top of a snowy peak. "Snowboarding?!"  
"Yeah! You'll love it! I was nervous the first time but it was still fun!", said Cloud, bursting with excitement.  
"If you say so.", she said nervously.  
"Alright! Here we go!" Cloud leaned in and started his descent.  
"H-hey! Wait for me!" she yelled and started after him.  
"Wh-whoa!", She cried uneasily. "This is what you call fun?!"  
"Just give it a chance! Now come on! I'll race you!", called back Cloud, now speeding up, tightly rounding his turns with perfect ease.  
"AA-aaah!", she yelled as she swerved down the trail. Eventually she got the hang of it and finally caught up to Cloud halfway down the track.  
"See Aeris! It's not bad!" he called. She leaned further and pulled ahead of him.  
"Hey! I thought we were racing, not playing follow the leader! See ya'!" And she widened the gap. Cloud leaned further and caught up.  
"Now who's gonna be playing follow the leader?", he said with a grin and pulled out ahead again. With a playful smile she moved out next to him and both raced down the track, keeping pace and distance with one another, until Aeris hit a bump and was sent flying into a snow bank.  
"Aeris!!", called Cloud as he ran up to the pile Aeris was in.  
"Ouch.",she mumbled from under the weight of the snow. She stuck out her arm and eventually climbed out.  
"Are you okay?", he asked as he helped brush snow off of her. She was still smiling though.  
"That was fun!"  
"Aeris, you always look on the bright side."  
"Well," she replies, "There's no use in being negative. Besides, do you want me to be all moping like you?"  
"Hey! Moping? Does it look like I'm moping!?"  
"Maybe."  
"What does that mean?!"  
"You figure it out. Come on. Let's go." She begins walking toward the ski lift.  
"What!?" He begins walking after her.  
  
They're back on Knight, as it is Aeris' turn to pick something.  
"Sigh.how about we go somewhere warm and relaxing now. After wearing a dress and snowboarding, I can't feel my ass."  
"Hahaha!" Cloud begins laughing.  
"What!? You're ass would be freezing, too! Of course, I don't think anybody would want to see you wear a dress."  
"It's just that I never heard you say 'ass' before."  
"Oh ha ha, that doesn't entitle you to laugh. Now let's go."  
  
They arrive in sunny Costa del Sol, and enter their beach cabana.  
"Okay Cloud, I'm gonna go change. If you get done before me, you can just go to the beach and I'll meet you there.", says Aeris as she enters the bathroom. Cloud does change into his blue trunks before Aeris finishes, so he collects up the lotion, towels, and umbrella and heads for the beach. He lays down the towels gently, and starts rubbing on lotion. He then lies down, face up, eyes closed, with a pair of sunglasses shielding his eyes.  
"So Cloud, what do you think?" Cloud sits up and takes off his sunglasses and sees Aeris in a two-piece, spaghetti string bikini. "Do you like it?"  
"Uh heh heh heh..", laughs nervously as he begins to get a slight nosebleed, but it's not really bad and is hardly noticeable.  
"Before I can let my hair down, could you put some lotion on my back?", she asks as she sits down next to him and picks up the bottle.  
"Uh, sure." He squirts some on his hands and starts rubbing, his nosebleed getting a little worse and starts blushing.  
"Ooh, the lotion's kinda cold." she says. "So Cloud, how are you enjoying yourself?", she asks as soon as he's done.  
"Uh, well.", he says as he moves back to his towel.  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about my hair." She pulls down her long hair and she lets it flow down her back, and it shines radiantly in the hot sun. "Is that better?"  
"." He's completely speechless as he looks at her, and his nosebleed gets a little worse as she smiles at him.  
  
"Excuse me, sir.", says this large woman with a slightly hairy back that you might mistake for a man, and if you didn't mistake her for that, you might mistake her for a beached whale in a bathing suit. "Would you mind putting lotion on my back? You did a nice job on this other young girl, so would you mind?" Cloud looks back at Aeris, wondering what he should do, looking a bit frightened at her, since it looks like this lump of a woman would eat him.  
"Go on Cloud. Who knows, you might get her number.", she says sarcastically with a large smile.  
"You owe me.", he says as he walks away with the woman.  
  
He looks back at her longingly as he begins putting on the lotion, hoping she would bail him out.  
"Hello there, miss.", says a smooth, deep voice from behind. A handsome young man stood behind Aeris, and she turned around to look at him. "Would you mind if you went with me on a walk on the beach?"  
"Sorry, I'm with someone else." He stroked his dark hair back and said, "He looks a little busy with his other companion over there." Cloud was almost done rubbing, but he felt he needed to boil his hands to kill the germs.  
"Mmm, you do a good job there.", said the bloated woman. With these words, Cloud grew even more nauseous. When he was done, he looked over back at Aeris, and saw her talking to the young man.  
"So would you mind accompanying me?", he asked again.  
"Sorry, I already said I was with someone else.", she repeated.  
"Nobody ever says no to me,", he says with angry arrogance.  
"Well, I think I just did.", said Aeris, yet the man tried to keep his temper.  
"Come on, I'm much better looking than him."  
"Aeris? Are you okay? Who's he?", asked Cloud as soon as he got to her.  
"He was just leaving.", she said.  
"I'm afraid I'm won't without you."  
"Look bud, you'll be eating dirt if you don't back off.", warned Cloud. The man, who stood taller than him, compared his size and said, "What are you gonna do, tiny?" He then was about to punch Cloud, when Cloud had already, easily sidestepped and gave a punch to the gut. The man wasn't too badly hurt, so he punched back at Cloud, and hit. The man then felt a tap on his shoulder from behind, and turned around to see Aeris. "THWACK!" Aeris had punched the man in the face, giving a broken nose and knocking him unconscious.  
"You okay Cloud?", she asked.  
"Uh, yeah." It didn't even look like Cloud was hit, because even though he was smaller, he was more muscular than the man. "Where'd you learn how to punch like that?"  
"Tifa taught me.", she said, returning to her towel and lying back down.  
"Well you had it better off. I think that lady liked me."  
"That was a lady? I thought it was a man in a woman's bathing suit."  
"We'll probably never know.", he shrugs. She laughs at his joke and says, "So what about your hands. Are they still there?"  
"Just barely. Let's go before she comes back. She might want me to rub her feet and make kissy faces again."  
"Again?"  
"Trust me, it wasn't pretty."  
  
"Where are we going now?", she asks to Cloud as they mount Knight again.  
"Let's go back to Nibelheim to get some rest.", he says.  
"I hope you're not suggesting anything."  
"No."  
"Good, because it's been perfect so far." They charge off toward Nibelheim, passing, lush scenery as they move. The sun is setting as they head west, painting clouds around it with color, creating a picturesque landscape as they pass over a chain of mountains. They enter Nibelheim again, and then enter the kitchen of Cloud's house.  
"Okay Cloud, I'll get dinner and you move the table and two chairs into the backyard.", said Aeris. Cloud had no idea what was thinking, but he did as she bade him to. "Okay, now set it.", she said as she handed him some utensils. Cloud again did as she wished, wondering what she was planning. "Now just wait outside." He waited outside on one of the chairs under the silent moonlight. Aeris moved outside with two candles, which were already lit.  
"Hoo boy.", thought Cloud as she moved them onto the tables, as he wasn't much for conversation, and still getting nervous as he thought of her in the bathing suit again. "So what haute` cuisine are you preparing?", he asked, trying to shake his nervousness.  
"You'll see." A few minutes later she came back out with two plates and sat down.  
"BLT sandwiches?", he said curiously.  
"What, I'm no Iron Chef.", she retorted, sarcastically. "Besides, I have something special for dessert."  
"Aeris," said Cloud after a few bites, "I've been wondering. Was Zack at the Planet?"  
"We're here, alone, under the moon and stars, having a candlelit dinner, and you're thinking about Zack, my ex-boyfriend who has been dead for 5 years?", she said, looking straight at him.  
"It's just that I wanted to know who you loved more. And if it were me, is it just because I act like him and look like him?"  
"First of all Cloud Strife,", she began, "I left the Land of Boundless Happiness to see you again. Next of all, Zack was there in the Land of Boundless Happiness, and then you ask me whether or not I love you more than him when I leave all that to be with you."  
"Okay, okay I get it now.", he admits. "It's just that it kind of bugs me that we were so much alike and that you just happened to fall for both of us."  
"Don't even worry about it.", she says, smiling again.  
"Yeah, I guess maybe I shouldn't be dwelling on the past all the time.", he says apologizing for breaking the mood with his question.  
"Those who live in the future will live a bright one, but will never savor the moment. Those who live in the present will savor the moment, but not necessarily have a bright future. And those who live in the past, will understand or at least grow to appreciate it, but neither will the present or future be theirs, as they had forfeited their existential purpose."  
"And what existential purpose is that?", he asks.  
"What everyone exists for. Hope, happiness, and love. Life without happiness isn't worth anything. Hope allows us to always be seeking something lost and never give up, like looking for a light in the darkness.  
"And love.?", he asks.  
"To love and be loved. That is the most important thing. You can't love without getting anything in return. And that, is the truth to our existence."  
"Not power or immortality?", he asks.  
"Power corrupts.", she says. "And immortality isn't perhaps the preservation of the human body, but the spirit. It is impossible to keep youth, but the spirit can live on forever. That is why there are traditions. To preserve the immortality of the spirit of whatever is celebrated."  
"Did you learn that on the Planet?"  
"No.", she says looking back at him with her clear green eyes, sparkling in the radiant glow of the moon. "I learned that from being with you. I'll go get the dessert." She leaves, the table, but quickly returns with the dessert.  
"So what's this?", he asks.  
"My almost-famous death by fudge cake."  
"Just to be safe, what's it made of?"  
"Well it's a small devil's food cake soaked in fudge with chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, garnished with chocolate mousse with a chocolate coating, and a touch of caramel."  
"Hmm.this'll be good then.", he quickly takes a bite. "Holy crap! This is like pure chocolate!"  
"Good isn't it?" she said smiling.  
"Couldn't picture living without it.", he says taking another bite.  
"I found out about the time Zack was leaving that," she began, " chocolate releases something in your brain that makes you feel better. So this was a major pick me up when I made it."  
"So what did you mean by telling me about existential purpose?", he asked as he couldn't relate what she said with him.  
"I meant that you always live in the past, so you're not happy.", she concluded.  
"Intelligent, and a good cook.", he said topping off the cake.  
"I'm glad that's all you see me as.", she said with another sarcastic tone.  
"Oh, there's more than that.", he says. She stands up and walks over to the hammock that Cloud usually lies in, looking up at the endless ribbon of stars, tracing shapes through the Milky Way. Cloud got up, and slowly sat down next to her.  
"What's up?", he asks.  
"Nothing.", she sighs back. "A little tired I guess."  
"So what are you looking at?"  
"I learned that everyone has their own star. Which one do you think is yours?"  
"That one.", he says, pointing.  
"That's the moon.", she says laughing a little. She lies down gently on the hammock and Cloud follows.  
"Cloud?"  
"What?"  
"Do I ever have to leave here?", she asks at about no more than a whisper as she felt the warmth of Cloud's arms cradling her.  
"Not for a while."  
"Good."  
"Hey, I learned this trick using comet materia.", he said as he lifted his hand, glowing a green color. A shower of shooting stars came coming down in front of them.  
"Cloud that's amazing! But how-"  
"You talk too much.", he interrupts, then kisses her deeply.  
"You talk just as much as me.", she says and kisses him back.  
"Cloud?", she whispered in his ear as she moved his head across his.  
"What?"  
"I love you." 


	6. Chapter 6: A Clash of Minds

Chapter 6: A Clash of Minds  
  
As dawn crept through the peaks of Mt. Nibel, they both awoke to the sound of Cloud's PHS, as they had both fallen asleep on Cloud's hammock.  
"Hello?", he said in a deep yawn.  
"Hi Cloud! It's Tifa!"  
"Oh! Hi Tifa!", he greeted back, regaining consciousness. "What's up?"  
"We need your help here. Cid's getting a bit stressed, and we can't keep making up excuses for long, so remember to bring the surprise."  
"Oh, trust me, I won't.", he said, looking back at Aeris who had barely opened her eyes.  
"Ok! See you then!", Tifa said as she hung up. Aeris got up and yawned widely.  
"Do you always wake up this early?", she asked, still looking drowsy. "What time is it?"  
"6 o'clock.", he said.  
"God, you must have to be tired at the end of the day."  
"Not necessarily. But you must not get much done if you wake up a 10 o'clock like you used to.", he said to her, but she was still so tired, she fell back asleep leaning against the tree. He smiled, picked her up in his arms, and mounted Knight with her behind him. He made sure her arms were tight around him so she wouldn't fall off, and they left to fix the Highwind. She woke up mid-way to the trip to the Highwind, somewhere off in the Gongaga area, where Zack was from, and saw she was riding with Cloud. She held on tighter to his stomach, a signal to him she was awake. She moved her head to the top of his shoulder and smiled at him. He looked and smiled back, as he sped Knight to the top of a cliff, where he stopped at a viewpoint to where the Highwind was, only a ½ mile in front of them.  
"Come on, we're gonna see the guys now."  
  
"Hey! Keep moving!", yelled Cid. "Cait Sith! Don't you even touch that! Just cuz' you're a toysaurus doesn't mean ya' can't get into trouble. And you won't get off any easier since you didn't come in person!"  
"Hey Cid! What's this?", asked Yuffie, looking at a part of the engine. Everyone was working on the outside of the ship, which was a towering behemoth that couldn't be missed.  
"DON'T TOUCH THAT!", he screamed.  
"Uh, hi Cid. I see you're doing well.", greeted Cloud as he walked up.  
"Heh, with idiots like this, I should do it myself.", complained Cid. Yuffie then tapped Cid on the shoulder and pointed behind Cloud.  
"Eeee.."she sounded. Barret, Red, and Cait Sith walked up to Cid and then looked, mouths gaping open, while Cid stood speechless.  
  
"Uh.hey guys.", said Aeris nervously. They all still stood like statues. "Geez, I could get a warmer welcoming at a cemetery." Yuffie walked a little closer.  
"A.Aeris?", she said.  
"Finally, someone recognizes me as being something other than a hallucination."  
"Yeah.",said Cloud. "I was gonna tell ya' but."  
"Hey Cloud!", greeted Tifa. "I see they found Aeris." All the others were still standing there, unmoved.  
"I can relate to their shock.", said Vincent, coming out from behind the ship. "It's not everyday you see someone who's been dead, alive again." Aeris walked toward Barret, hoping at least he would recognize her. "Come on, Barret. You should at least recognize me. Remember? Back on the Shinra boat? I was the one that stole your sailor outfit for you from the soldiers."  
"Aeris! It has to be you! No one else liked that outfit!"  
"Well, you did look.different in that suit.", she said as his massive arms hugged her.  
"Yes, I do believe that's her.", said Red. "She smells like wildflowers."  
"I don't believe this. I-I saw.", said Cid.  
"I saw it, too.", said Yuffie. "But I'm pretty sure this is Aeris. Who else could it be? I doubt it could be a look-alike."  
"It's a long story.", said Vincent.  
"I'll explain it over lunch.", said Cloud.  
  
"So that's it, huh?", said Cid after the explanation. "I still don't get it though. I mean honestly, a flower?"  
"You just got to have some faith.", said Aeris. "Even Bugenhagen said there were exceptions."  
"Well as I see it," said Cait Sith. "It'd have to be true. I mean, she's right here."  
"What do you know, you're just a cat on a mog.", remarked Barret.  
"She's right here. That's as much proof as you need.", said Tifa. "You can debate over this as much as you like.", said Vincent while standing up. "I'm going to back to work on the ship."  
"I'm going, too.", said Cloud.  
"Then I'll clear the table.", Aeris said. "I wasn't much for fixing  
things anyway."  
"I'll help, too.", volunteered Tifa.  
"So will I!", piped up Yuffie. "It's easier anyway."  
"Okay, we'll be working on the ship.", said Cid on his way out.  
  
"So.", said Yuffie as the rest of them walked out of the room to fix the ship. "Aeris, what was the Planet like? I mean, how much materia was there?"  
"It was beauty beyond imagination and I'm not telling you about the materia.", she said as she was finishing the table.  
"Why not?", asked Yuffie, disappointed.  
"If I told you, you might have a heart attack at age16.", she replied.  
"Well that answers my question. So did you bring any back?", she asked eagerly.  
"I did, just I case you asked. There's so much materia there, you can easily find some for free.", said Aeris as she pulled out some materia.  
"F-free?", Yuffie stammered.  
"Yup. Here.", Aeris said, handing Yuffie the materia. "Materia of each kind. A green comet magic materia, a yellow slash-all command materia, a blue MP turbo materia, and.", she pulled out a glowing red materia. "a rare 'Knights-of-the-Round' materia." Yuffie was thoroughly stunned.  
"Suddenly, the afterlife doesn't look so horrible.", she said with her mouth gaping. "Hey Tifa! Want any?", asked Yuffie.  
"Well well, Yuffie offering materia, isn't that quite a change.", she teased.  
"YUFFIE!", yelled Cid from the outside. "WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR SHURIKEN DOIN' IN THE ENGINE?!!"  
"Whoops. Gotta go!", said Yuffie while dashing out the door, leaving Aeris and Tifa to the dishes.  
"She hasn't changed at all.", said Aeris, stifling a laugh.  
"Makes me wonder how she became a ninja in the first place.", Tifa replied, also stifling a small laugh. "Well, it seems like the whole team is back. Barret the gun-armed leader of AVALANCHE, Cait Sith, the stuffed toy former Shinra spy, Vincent the heartbroken vampire, Red 13, the who- knows-what he is mountain lion/coyote, Cid the foul mouthed warmhearted pilot, Yuffie the quirky teenage kleptomaniac ninja, Cloud the ex-SOLDIER with a troubled past, me the bartender with iron knuckles, and you the innocent flower girl from the slums."  
"What a team.", said Aeris, finishing a stack of dishes. "I bet people would even wonder how you guys saved the world with such weird job descriptions."  
"Yeah well, it's better than the name 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' saving the planet."  
"Heh, true.", she agreed.  
"So what did you and Cloud do yesterday?", asked Tifa while drying the dishes.  
"He just took me to a bunch of places he thought I should see and have fun at. We even went snowboarding."  
"Snowboarding? Where?"  
"Icicle Inn."  
"Figures. He loves it up there. Did he show you your house?"  
"What house?", asked Aeris, turning her head to see Tifa still drying the dishes.  
"We found the house you were born in. It turns out you're a Northlander. We even found out your father's identity. It turns out you're the daughter of Professor Gast."  
"Really!?", Aeris exclaimed in disbelief. "He probably didn't tell me because I didn't want to just sulk and reminisce about the past."  
"I'm surprised he didn't even hint.", said Tifa, starting another stack of pots and pans.  
"Well I'll worry about that later.", decided Aeris.  
"You always try to stay positive don't you?", asked Tifa.  
"That doesn't mean I don't get angry or sad. I just feel happy around you guys. Especially Cloud."  
"So did you only go snowboarding?", said Tifa, quickly changing the subject.  
"Tifa."said Aeris. "You don't have to change the subject like that. I know how you feel about Cloud." Tifa looked back at Aeris with tears in her eyes.  
"I really did look forward to seeing you.", Tifa began.  
"Tifa."  
"No, no it's just that even though we're close I can't help but think I'm losing him again. It's just that he loves you so much that he hasn't even spoken to me the entire time he was here. He barely even noticed me."  
"Don't even think that.", comforted Aeris. "He had so many chances just to whisk me away right then and there but he didn't. He might not have acted like it was on his mind-"  
"That's exactly it!", interrupted Tifa. "It wasn't on his mind!"  
"Hold on! He might not have acted it, but there was something lingering in his eye that I couldn't quite catch. But I think deep down something was telling him he shouldn't just go for it. I didn't know at the time, but it was always there ever since you left yesterday."  
"I hope you're right.", said Tifa, wiping away tears.  
"Come on. He loves you because you're sensitive and strong, and that you've always been there for him.", Aeris said while trying to make her feel better.  
"But he loves you because you're sweet and kind and everything else that I couldn't be." said Tifa through heavy tears.  
"Tifa?", said Cloud as he walked into the kitchen. He ran over to her and held her head against his chest. "What's going on?" Aeris just looked at him and briskly left the room. Cloud walked Tifa over to a chair and he sat down, with Tifa in his lap.  
"Hey, are you okay?", he asked. Tifa tried pushing back her tears but just cried in his shoulder. "You can at least tell me what's wrong."  
"Just.show Aeris.",she whispered.  
"Show her what?", he asked confusedly.  
"Her.parents.", she said through tears and a stinging throat.  
"What good will that do?", he asked.  
"You love her. She loves you. Just be with her.", she said looking him straight in his eyes as he realizes just how much she's crying.  
"But-" Tifa just got up and said, "She should know what happened. Now just let me be alone.", and left. She went outside to the Highwind, went past everyone who froze in their tracks as soon as they saw her, hopped on Choco, and left. Cloud came running after her, but she was already long gone. 


	7. Chapter 7: Always

Chapter 7: "Always"  
  
"Jesus Cloud! What happened?!", asked Barret.  
"I don't think I even know.", he said.  
"Now just give the man some space.", said Cid from behind. "It's no good just to keep askin' him questions he doesn't have answers to."  
"Thanks Cid." Cloud saw Aeris turned around, leaning by the front of the ship.  
"What happened with Tifa?", he asked her.  
"It's all my fault Cloud!", she said a little distressed. "I should've never come back. She's having a lot of emotional trouble. You might want to see her."  
"No, she wanted to be alone. She wanted me to show you something. But it's a long ride there, so get ready." ,he said, looking toward the direction Tifa left in.  
  
Tifa lay in her bed, coverlets strewn about, her head deeply nestled in a pillow. Tearstains were numerous where her head was buried amongst the bedspread. But she felt lying here as she had done for hours would do no good. Miserably, she moved herself outside, only to see the well that towered before her. She climbed up, almost subconsciously, and gazed into the eternal heavens, as the stars had been her comfort for so long. Tears overflowing, she closed her eyes, and could almost feel the warm embrace of Cloud's arms, as they had felt so familiar, because it was only 3 hours ago. She opened her eyes, still harboring great sadness, and looked at the spot next to her, where Cloud would usually sit. She pictured him as the little boy at the night of the promise, and then as the grown version. She smiled a little, taking some comfort on how he's changed in ways, but he was that same little boy protecting her. She then could picture her and Cloud kissing again, but she only felt in the deep shadows in her heart that it was all forfeit.  
"Be strong.", she told herself. That is what she always said. But she couldn't help but feel immeasurably weak. Overwhelmed with so many memories here, she quickly headed to the stables.  
  
"Here it is.", said Cloud, pointing to the small house with no lights on, as it had turned dark. They quietly stepped in, as Aeris looked around curiously, at it did look peculiar, because it was her father's small lab. There were a few machines leaned against the wall, and a desk and chair in the back of the room, as well as a rug on the floor in front of it.  
"This is what she wanted me to show you.", he said, looking at the machine with a blank screen on it, he turned it on, put a tape in a slot beneath it, and a picture was displayed on the screen of Professor Gast her father, and Ifalna her real mother, but on the tape they were not yet married. On the first two tapes, they showed the Professor asking Ifalna about the Cetra and Weapon, as her mother was the one with the heritage of an Ancient. These images flashed before her eyes as she witnessed how her parents had originally met, as a Professor trying to find out the questions about the Planet, and the last tape, how she had gained her name and the ending. The way her father had been shot trying to save his wife and daughter, and her mother desperately trying to escape and save her daughter. After taking all this in, Aeris grew a slightly pale color, as she knew what happened to her mother, but she had no idea who or what happened to her father. As Tifa entered the stables, she sat next to Choco, because she felt emptier as she looked at the vacant stable stall that is Knight's. She wondered what he and Aeris were doing right now. A few more tears trailed down her cheek. Choco craned his neck over and nudged her face sympathetically and wiped off a tear.  
"Thanks Choco. But I'm not sure that will help." She felt colder as she stayed in all these places, so she decided to leave for a while, until all her nerves where calmer, and she could face Cloud again. "Come on Choco. Let's go."  
  
"I hope that wasn't too hard for you to watch.", said Cloud as Aeris was still looking at the blank screen.  
"No, I'm fine. I'm just gonna look at the rest of the house for something on my parents."  
"Okay, I'll be up here.", said Cloud.  
  
She rode for hours on Choco, the wind swiftly blowing through her hair, and ruffling Choco's feathers. Her mind needed an excuse to just be free from all the feelings welling up within her, although she knew the freedom couldn't last. But for now, all she needed was the freedom of the wind rushing against her body through the cool night air, although daylight was swiftly dawning upon the world. She rode through the day, of course giving Choco a rest, but he enjoyed the exercise and also he felt sympathetic for his mistress. She rode everywhere through the world, regarding that Choco was extremely fast, and was a gold chocobo. She simply wanted to be released of the tether made by the worries of the world, and as much as she realized this could never be, she felt that to be with Cloud again was even farther away. She rode west, towards the sun as it was setting in the corners of the continent.  
  
"Well Cloud, I guess that's it.", said Aeris, giving up.  
"Huh?! Wha-What!?", he exclaimed after being awakened suddenly by Aeris.  
"I said that I'm done looking through the house."  
"How long has it been?", asked Cloud.  
"About fourteen hours.", she said.  
"I'm sorry Aeris."  
"No, it's not your fault."  
"But I wish I could do something."  
"It's okay. Let's go." As they left, Cloud's elbow accidentally hit the machine and a ledge fell of the old, worn wall, hitting him on the head.  
"AAHH!", he yelled. He looked at what hit him, and what came down with the ledge as another tape.  
"What's that?", she asked.  
"I don't know. The label is smeared like if it got wet. But there aren't any leaks in this place."  
"Put it on. We might figure out what happened."  
  
So they put on the tape, and another picture was on the screen, but it was completely black.  
"Hmmm, how does this work? Oh, here it is.", said a female voice. The blackness had disappeared as someone removed the cap on the camera. The person walked back, away from the camera, and presented them self, revealing their identity. "Uh, hi Cloud. It's Tifa. Um, I don't quite know how you found this tape, but if you're seeing it, ummm.I don't know quite how to say this, and if I had already said it, this might sound stupid now. Uh, I hope that we never grow far apart. There was something about you, even before you left Nibelheim seven years ago. I don't quite know what that was, but now I think I know what that was. I never did thank you for saving me on Mt. Nibel, or at the mako reactor there. And I didn't really thank you for keeping your promise at the well.", she said as she dipped her head so that you couldn't quite see her face. "I guess I didn't thank you for a lot of things. But there is one thing I didn't thank you for, that you don't quite know about." Her head leveled back with the camera, a few tears beginning to well up in her eye. "I never thanked you for teaching me how to love." Cloud was surprised at these words as he watched the tape, but he continued it to play. "Back then, it was still all fun and games, and then my master Zangan began teaching me how to fight. But I could have never learned to love without you. Since you left, I looked everywhere in the papers on how you were doing, but they never told me anything. I always thought about you, even though then we were never that close. And when the men from Shinra and SOLDIER came, I thought for sure you were coming, but I didn't see you. But even then when I didn't know you were there, and you didn't have to save me and could've gotten away with it, you didn't. And you even got yourself pretty messed up for it. And I don't know how I could've quite gotten away with it, from myself that is, if you didn't live because of me, and when you showed up at my bar in he sector seven slums, I think I knew. I think I knew what happened. I had fallen in love." Cloud had felt something surging through himself as he heard these words, as when he was younger, he would watch Tifa from afar with her group of friends. And to think when he had finally gotten the girl, he would ignore her for someone else. "And that cocky little guy from Nibelheim who thought me and my friends were stupid for laughing all the time was the one that taught me to simply love with all you have. I suppose I'm boring you with this story, so I'm not going to keep delaying the inevitable. Cloud.I.love you." And the tape ended.  
On a cliff of a mesa, Tifa sat overlooking Cosmo Canyon, that was a rich red color in the light of the sun, with Choco behind her, taking a rest from an exhausting day's ride. She was looking at the magnificent sunrise, the clouds painted with its vivid tinting, its rich purples and pinks, feeling the warm desert air dry her tears. She was sitting there amidst all the serenity and peace outstretched before her. In the distance on top of another mesa, sat a heavily forested area, the Forest of the Ancients. With that sight, bitterness struck her again, and she could only wish to be held in Cloud's arms. She wished to hear his heart beating as she laid her head on his chest and feel the world carry on without them. Yet she felt this would no longer be. Mixed feelings rose in her spirit and she felt she didn't know what to do . As she sat heartbroken, looking into the horizon, she saw a strange, misshapen silhouette and felt the earth rumble beneath her. Weapon had revealed itself.  
  
Aeris and Cloud were still both looking at the screen when the tape ended, as Cloud heard Tifa's tape play in his mind all over again.  
"I have to see Tifa.", said Cloud out of nowhere.  
"Um, sure just wait outside, I have something to do.", said Aeris as Cloud walked out the door. He left Aeris inside, as a video began playing.  
  
"Choco, let's go!", said Tifa to her chocobo as she climbed onto it. She rode to the edge of the world to meet the incoming enemy.  
  
Aeris emerged out of the building, quietly shutting the door.  
"Are you done?", asked Cloud.  
"Yeah, I'm good."  
"Then let's go." As soon as they both mounted Knight, Cloud's PHS rang.  
"Cloud we got a crisis!", cried Cid. "Weapon's finally come back!"  
"We'll be there!", said Cloud.  
"That's not all!", continued Cid. "We can't find Tifa! She's not responding to her PHS!"  
"Oh no, Tifa!", cries Cloud. "Go Knight!"  
  
Tifa saw the looming figure of the giant Weapon as they both drew nearer. She felt she had to stop it. Even if it cost her life.  
  
"Cid! We're here!", yelled Cloud as soon as they got to the bridge.  
"Good! Hold on to your pants and don't piss in em'!", yelled back Cid. He pulled a lever and a force that jolted some of them back knocking others down. They were flying at never seen before speeds, heading towards the battlefield.  
  
Weapon slowly trudged its massive body onto the shore, letting out an ungodly cry to the world. Tifa disembarked and looked up at her adversary.  
  
"Cid! Can you move any faster?!", yelled Cloud against the force hitting his body.  
"Just hold on!", Cid yelled, pulling the other lever.  
  
Tifa summoned Odin to start the battle, wishing she had taken the 'Knights of the Round' materia with her. It had barely been scratched and its power was impossible to sense. It stood angrily before her and struck her back, but her will was too strong. She unleashed her full limit, but the weapon still stood strong, and used Trine against her.  
  
"There it is!", cried Cid.  
"And there's Tifa!", yelled Barett. Cloud disembarked and dashed to Tifa's aid. When he got there, she was weakened to her knees. Weapon lifted its giant hand and it was speeding toward the ground, aimed at Tifa. Cloud dove and saved her, moments before being crushed. She opened her eyes weakly and saw Cloud saving her again.  
"Cloud.", she muttered, but she had quickly blacked out.  
"You bastard!", he yelled back to Weapon. He charged in with his Ultima sword, and swung madly. Nonetheless, he was still thrown down like a rag doll. Every time he charged in, only to be thrown back, still glowing red with fury. Each time he was greatly weakened, but kept fighting. Aeris, quickly ran to the battlefield, and saw Cloud being struck back constantly, always getting weaker.  
"Cloud! Stop! Let me do this!!", she screamed.  
"No! I won't lose you again!.", he cried back.  
"You have to! Or we're all dead!", she cried back, tears accumulating as she could not bear to see Cloud in his worn condition. He was finally hit until he could move no more, and was left vulnerable. Aeris ran to him and knelt beside him, looking him in the eye.  
"Go back to Icicle Inn!", she whispered.  
"What?", he breathed back.  
"Just look. I love you.", she said with a tear rolling down her cheek, walking towards the Weapon.  
"No Aeris! Wait!", but she had already left. The rest of the team had finally caught up and saw a light emerge where Aeris was headed. The light immersed the corners of the Planet, and then faded. He had desperately tried to move, but he was too weak. Yuffie found him, and ran over to cure him.  
"Don't worry about my wounds. Take care of Tifa.", he ordered. He slowly got up and looked to where the crater was, where Aeris and the Weapon once stood. With a tear in his eye and a pain in his heart, he felt coldness overshadow him again.  
"Aeris.", he whispered as he broke down. "Aeris!", he screamed "Why do I keep losing you!" He knelt on the ground, fists tight, tears building up, heart pulsing in his head. He felt a warm hand comfort him and kneel beside him. It was Tifa, and she too was crying. Cloud bade her closer with his arm and leaned together.  
"Tifa.",he choked out. "Why are you crying?"  
"Don't look at me that heartlessly.", she said. "She was still my friend even though she loves you. I just want to see you happy."  
"Hey.", said Cid quietly. "Look, I'll go tell Elmira." Cloud said nothing and both he and Tifa stood up. "I.have to go.", he said, looking north. He whistled a shrill noise and Knight answered his call.  
"I'll go with you Cid.", said Tifa. "I was her friend. I should go." Cloud nodded and headed north.  
  
A short time later, he found Icicle Inn and entered Professor Gast's laboratory. He found a tape lying on the desk and inserted it. A picture of Aeris then popped on the screen.  
"Oh, hey.", she began. "Cloud, if you're watching this, that means that the worst has happened. After listening to the tape about Weapon, and everyone's description of it, I have identified it to be Ancient weapon. The reason it is called that is because an Ancient is called to stop it. The reason being is that the Planet trusted the Ancients to decide whether man deserved to exist or not, so if needed, it would send out the Ancient weapon to give judgment, and if an Ancient was not brought forth, the society of man would crumble. I was the last Ancient, so I had to go." Tears began streaming down her face. "I'm sorry Cloud." Her last words rang in his head. He couldn't believe she could leave him again. He took out the tape and flung it in sorrow at the desk, almost destroying it. He climbed back on Knight, and rode back to Nibelheim. His heart was shattered like glass, as if he couldn't recover the pieces. As if something would always be missing. A part of himself. He put Knight back in the stables, and walked back into Nibelheim. Tifa saw him as she walked in, his head slightly bent, his eyes red from tears, as a cold shadow clouded his eyes. She decided to leave him alone and not risk making him cry. He went up the stairs into his room, and fell into the mass of sheets on his bed, feeling the heavy weight of remorse follow him to sleep. In his dreams, he floated listlessly through the darkness, where it was cold and empty, much like the way he felt.  
"Cloud.", he heard a call.  
"Cloud!"  
"AAH!", he screamed as he was now standing upright. Aeris was looking back at him smiling.  
"Why do you do that?", he exclaimed.  
"Shhh.", she signaled, putting a finger over his mouth. She moved closer, embracing him and kissed for a long time.  
"Why did you leave me?", asked Cloud as they moved apart.  
"It had to be done."  
"But-"  
"No. It was my duty as an Ancient. And I couldn't let innocent people die."  
"So it's duty over love then?"  
"Of course not.", she said. "At that moment I had not felt that the world couldn't save itself, because it had grown powerful enough to do so. It was about saving you."  
"But for once I need to save you."  
"You already have.", she said referring to the church when he first met her.  
"That doesn't count."  
"Of course it does.,", she said resting her head on his shoulder. "Besides, you already have someone here to love you.", she said, and a projection of Tifa in her room crying appeared and then faded.  
"But-"  
"No. She loves you. And you, her. That's what matters. Besides," she continues. "You have me right here.", she said as she put her palm over his heart. She pulled away, walking slowly away from him.  
"No!", he yelled after her. "Don't leave!" He tried running toward her, but he couldn't get any closer. She stops, then turns around, with her gentle expression.  
"You need not worry Cloud. I'm always with you. I'm the reflection in the water. I'm your light through the darkness. But more importantly, I'm always here. In your dreams. Just on the threshold of sleep. I don't care what you are, just who you are. For I will always welcome you into my arms, your heart beating against mine. Till then, your soft kiss will linger on my lips and I shall return to you. I love you. This I promise. Always." 


End file.
